Dual Review: The Princess Bride : S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure / The Princess Bride

Editor's Note/Update: I have fixed an error or two in this review, including the mis-spelling of Inigo's name.  I have left Westley as Westley (with a "T") as my references say it is that way.  I'm sure I missed other fixes that this could use, but you'll have to live with my errors.  Also, I added a comment (para-phrased approximation) that my wife made when she read this review.

Last dual review was movie first and then book, so this time I switching it up and doing book first and then movie. Reviewer's choice, you see.

Source: Amazon.com

The Princess Bride : S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, by William Goldman

From the book’s cover:

William Goldman's modern fantasy classic is a simple, exceptional story about quests—for riches, revenge, power, and, of course, true love—that's thrilling and timeless.

Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an “abridged” retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that's home to “Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions.”


Synopsis:

This one is a classic, though most probably know The Princess Bride from the movie. So I'm going to do a quick overview of the basic plot and then when I get to the film, I'll focus on things that the movie version and the book don't have in common. After all, that is the most interesting issue at stake. You'll see why, when I get there in a minute or two.

Now for that plot. I can do it fairly quickly, I think. Westley is a farmboy, Buttercup is the farmer's daughter. Buttercup is mean to Westley. One day a man named Count Rugen shows up to see the farmer's cows, and Buttercup discovers that the Count's wife gives Westley attention. Buttercup is jealous. She discovers through some soul-searching that she loves Westley. Westley loves her as well, but he decides to go abroad to seek his fortune, so he can marry her and keep her in a proper fashion.

Westley's ship is overcome by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who never takes prisoners. Buttercup is heartbroken. A few years later, Buttercup becomes engaged to the land of Florin's prince, who is named Humperdink. Humperdink is a great hunter, but not a particularly nice guy. But we'll get back to that.

Buttercup is out riding when she is abducted by three men and taken by boat across the sea to the land of Guilder. Before arriving there, another boat takes up pursuit. It belongs to "The Man in Black" (my daughter kept calling him "The Black Man"). Buttercup's captors take her up the sheer cliff of the Guilder frontier, and the Man in Black follows. At the top, the leader of the abductors, Vizini, tells one of his henchmen, Inigo, to stay behind and slay the Man in Black. We discover through flashback that Inigo is a master swordsman, and has a troubled past. He is looking for a six-fingered man who killed his father.

The Man in Black and Inigo fight. The former wins the duel, but spares Inigo's life. Our masked mystery man then follows the remaining two abductors and their captive. Vizini sees that the Man in Black is still following, and tells his last henchman, Fezzik, to kill the pursuer by throwing a rock at his head from behind cover. Fezzik is not an under-handed sort - simple would describe him, but unfair? Never - and he instead gets into a wrestling match with the Man in Black. Before this, we get flashback some story-time for Fezzik's life as well.

Of course, Fezzik is beaten. The Man and Black and Vizini confront each other. Vizini boasts that the Man in Black can't outwit him, but the Man in Black does so. Vizini dies of poisoning, and the Man in Black claims Buttercup as his own prisoner.

Meanwhile, Humperdink is following the trail of the captors/Man in Black. But he is unable to capture the Man in Black before he and Buttercup enter the Fire Swamp. Oh, and there is a scene where Buttercup and the Man in Black roll down a steep slope. See, Buttercup has found out that her newest captor is none other than Westley, her lost love.

The author, William Goldman. / Source: HollywoodScribe.Wordpress.com


 There is some adventure in the Fire Swamp, and some explanation as to where Westley has been, including all the details on the Dread Pirate Roberts, and how Westley became so good at fencing and stuff. But like all good things, this must eventually end, and we find our way to the other side of the swamp, where Westley and Buttercup hope to escape by ship.

However, on the other side of the Fire Swamp, Humperdink waits. Buttercup tells Humperdink that she will give up and go with him, and the Prince promises to set Westley free, who she has made out to be a simple sailor on the Dread Pirate's Robert's ship. But we all know this won't work out as planned.

Westley ends up in the Zoo of Death, at the fifth level (the bottom). Here he is attended to by an albino, who doesn't have a whole lot to say. Buttercup goes back to the castle, but the Humperdink knows she prefers Westley over him, and so he orders Count Rugen to torture Westley. For Rugen's part, he is writing a book on pain, so this is a great opportunity for research.

Meanwhile, Buttercup is having nightmares. She goes to Humperdink and he says that he will send for the Dread Pirate Roberts and see if Westley still wants her, even though she was rather cool to him when they left the Fire Swamp. They agree, even though we know Rugen has Westley in his not-so-tender clutches. And Humperdink is just planning to kill Buttercup on their wedding night anyway, so its nothing to him.

Back into the story come Inigo and Fezzik. See, Fezzik has discovered that the slayer of Inigo's father is none other than Count Rugen. Fezzik nurses Inigo back to health, and the two go looking for Westley - the Man in Black - to see if he can help them get into the castle and obtain revenge for Inigo.

I think we've established that The Princess Bride is not a kissing book.  Or at least not just a kissing book.  Cool cupcake, by the way.  I'd laugh and then eat it. / Source: AngelasKitchen.Wordpress.com

But things go badly for our captured hero when Buttercup finds out Humperdink never sent for Westley, and she tells the prince off thoroughly. The prince goes to the Zoo of Death and tortures Westley until he dies, using "the machine." Westley's death scream brings Inigo and Fezzik, who take the hard way down into the Zoo of Death, eventually finding Westley's body. They take it to Miracle Max in hopes of... well, a miracle.

Max gives the corpse life again with a pill, after some futzing around and various other details. The little intrepid band heads for the castle. There they confront the troops assembled to guard the gate, including Captain of the Guard Yellin, who, when his comrades desert him after our heroes use a ruse to scare them all off, wisely chooses to hand over the gate key. Westley - who is paralyzed - Inigo, and Fezzik enter the castle.

Meanwhile Humperdink and Buttercup are in the midst of their nuptials. But the Prince cuts things short and sends Rugen to deal with the intruders. Here Inigo gets to face down his foe for the first time since he was a child, and he utters those famous words, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." That's about as plain as you can put it, I think.

Rugen flees, and Inigo pursues. Meanwhile, Westley has gone to the honeymoon suite to save Buttercup, who is about to commit suicide. Humperdink enters, and threatens Westley with a duel to the death. Westley responds that he'd rather duel "to the pain." Did I mention that all this time since Westley was brought back from the dead, the clock is ticking. It seems that Miracle Max forgot to tell the gang that the pill was only supposed to work for an hour. And Westley is going to run out of time and die before he can save Buttercup. Nobody knows that but Max and the reader though.

But a miracle happens. Westley stands up, his time expires, but he lives, and he raises his sword and... well read the book or see the movie and you'll know how this part ends.

As for Rugen and Inigo, Inigo is wounded by Rugen's treachery, and then Inigo has his own miracle, and he kills Rugen. Inigo comes to find Westley and Buttercup, and then they see that Fezzik has brought the prince's prize horses out of the stables and our triumphant bunch ride off into the... whatever. Sunset? I pictured evening, myself. But the book ends on a slightly different note than fans of the film will know of. There is a note of uncertainty that concludes the tale, which I'll leave for those intrepid enough to read the book and discover for themselves. But if you are happy with a simple happy ending, stick to the movie. Which I'll be reviewing next, and along with it, I will go over some of the most noticeable differences between the book and film. Keep reading.

A nice illustration of Buttercup and Westley in his Dread Pirate Roberts/Man in Black get-up. But I have Cary Elwes firmly affixed in my mind as Westley, so the mustache doesn't work for me.  / Source:RantingDragon.com

What I liked about it:

For me to answer that fairly, you'd really need to see the part below where I compare the book and movie. For now, let's just say that the book was surprising. My wife had told me that the movie was actually based on a book, and after discovering a copy on the bookshelf, I decided to read it to my daughter one evening. Of course, it took longer than just the one night. We got through it over the course of a month or more. And enjoyed it greatly too, though my daughter preferred reading Charlotte's Web. Not that I'm surprised. She likes animals, that kid does.

Ok, the short version is: I liked the book, and if you read the movie review, you'll see more on that.

What I didn’t like about it:

If I had one complaint, it would be that the parenthetical stuff was a bit over my daughter's head, and thus it was tough sometimes to make this into a kid's book. My daughter is fairly bright for her age (some would say she is even incoragable), but the asides that the author takes were sometimes skipped over for the sake of not confusing her. After all, I often speak in a parenthetical way too (and you thought it was just my writing that tangented) and so it would be easy for her to think dad was just off on one of his explanations again. But I wouldn't call this a fatal flaw by any means.

The cover of The Princess Bride in its first edition.  I was thrown by the "authorship" of S. Morganstern until I started reading the book and discovered the details about Goldman's abridgment. / Source: Wikipedia.com

What I learned, if anything:

There were differences between the book and the film. Some of them important enough that I'd argue they should have been included in the movie somehow. I know, I know - you can't get everything you want. But some things, like Inigo and Fezzik's adventure in the Zoo of Death, should have been in there. Really. Read on, and you'll see.

Recommendation:

If you've seen the movie and liked it, you'll like the book. 95% sure of that, I am. If you are some odd specimen who has only read the book, then you need to read on a bit in this review, so as to see if the movie is any good too. Personally, I highly recommend The Princess Bride, even more so than the movie. As is so often the case, I thought it was better than the celluloid version. And I happen to think (not to spoil it) that the movie is pretty dang good. So take that for what its worth. Or don't (yet) and read on for the rest of this Dual Review.


The Princess Bride (1987)



A classic fairy tale, with swordplay, giants, an evil prince, a beautiful princess, and yes, some kissing (as read by a kindly grandfather). Short synopsis of The Princess Bride from IMDb.com

How does a person review a movie like this? If I didn't already have a plan, I'd be stumped. No, I don't think The Princess Bride is perfect and wholly without flaws, but its dang good, just the same.

It seems to me that this is one of those films that just sort of organically becomes part of a culture over the years. Who hasn't heard someone say, "Hello," with a spanish accent and thought of giving the rejoinder: "...My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."? Or that one word exclamation: "Inconceivable!" Or the place in this compare/contrast I'm going to start with, Peter Falk's response when Fred Savage's character asks if there are any sports in the book.

You may recall Falk saying, in that Columbo-esque manner of his that set him apart as an actor: "Are you kidding? Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True love. Miracles." The problem is, that isn't what the reader (the author, Goldman) says in the book. It's: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles." Whew. That's a mouthful. To be honest, I like Falk's rendition better. But that isn't always the case for changes in the movie, and I'll point out a few of those as I go.

A "Entertainment Weekly" magazine photo of the cast of The Princess Bride reunion. / Source: InsideMovies.EW.com

For instance, right off the bat in the book, there is some hard to put on film exposition. Buttercup is rude and haughty to Westley, but she doesn't just happen upon her real feelings for him (which always seemed silly to me anyway, but the narration dialogue back and forth between grandfather and grandson during that part of the movie makes up for it). No, instead she notices feelings of jealousy when Count Rugen and his wife (yup, she never factored in the movie) show up to the farm and the countess takes a liking to Westley.

I liked the book version of this part, as it showed the progression of Buttercup's feelings. Too many works of fiction take love for granted these days, in my experience. It was nice to see Buttercup's feelings growing and blossoming in a natural sort of way. But I understand how all this front-end stuff would have made for dull cinema, so I can see why they left it out.

Speaking of romance, what about Princess Noreena of Guilder? Don't know her? Well, the aforementioned princess from across the sea came to Florin to meet with Humperdink and there were stirings of an alliance between the two nations - until Noreena's wig flew off and Humperdink saw she was bald. That certainly wasn't in the movie. It goes as backstory to why Florin and Guilder are at odds, but I can also see why they left it out. Though it would have been a little funny to actually see.

I don't recall "Inconceivable" being used quite so much in the book, but Shawn's delivery made it a classic. / Source: NecessaryRoughness.org

And on the subject of Prince Humperdink, Goldman writes him a bit more subtlely than he is played by Chris Sarandon in the movie. For one, he's 250 pounds and barrelchested, where Sarandon is sorta average. Also, Humperdink is referred to by Buttercup as a master hunter, but we never see the depths of his skill (other than his dancing around on the cliff edge over the duelists' tracks, or the whole "Iocane. I'd bet my life on it"-scene).

And this brings me to the Zoo of Death. This is a place that should have been in the movie. A five-level underground hunting preserve, with the most deadly animals in the world there for Humperdink to practice his skill on? You bet I'd want to see that. Yes, it might have been a distraction from the flow of the film, but the parts in here were some of my favorite to read to my daughter. And I didn't know what was going to happen, as I hadn't ever heard of the place before. If all you've experienced is the movie version of The Princess Bride, you're missing out on the Zoo of Death.

There are other subtle differences to the plot too. Like the changes in Vizini and Fezzik. Vizini is the one who grabs Buttercup in the book, whereas in the film he nods to Fezzik, who neck-pinches the princess. And Fezzik, though he does his rhyming, is a bit more heartless than the gentle Andre the Giant version. In the boat on the way to Guilder, Fezzik says that they should kill Buttercup as she lays in the bottom of the vessel. Granted, it isn't out of sheer cruelty, but just the same, in the film, Fezzik knows nothing of the plot to kill Buttercup. And when he finds out, he objects.

The greatest difference in Vizini and Fezzik's interaction is actor Wallace Shawn's torrent (as Vizzini) to Fezzik: "And YOU: friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed, in Greenland?" But in the book, great pains are made to give Fezzik's backstory as a Turk. We spend a great deal of time on it, in fact. But I gotta say, "Unemployed in Greenland" is funnier. And shorter, so I suppose it was probably best.

There are differences with the scene where Buttercup jumps in the water and the eels almost get her too. The book has sharks, but I kinda like the "shrieking eels" better myself. And the timing of the Man in Black's appearance - in his boat - is a bit off too.

What else? Inigo's backstory is never told to the Man in Black. We see it all in flashback as Inigo waits for him to climb the Cliffs of Insanity. One thing I think they could have left alone was that the six-fingered man didn't agree to buy the magnificent sword made by Domingo Montoya, that Inigo now carries (known in the book as the "six-fingered sword") because the six-fingered man disputed its quality. That wouldn't have been such a bad thing to leave in the film. Adds more emphasis to the six-fingered man's eventual death at Inigo's hands, wielding the sword he wouldn't buy. If you ask me, I like that better.


Speaking of the Cliffs of Insanity, this is a cool bit on an interaction between Andre the Giant and Wallace Shawn during that big climbing scene.

Of course, there is a moment after the Man in Black abducts Buttercup from the then-dead Vizini that probably played better in the film. When Buttercup spouted off to the Man in Black, he raised back his hand to slap her for "lying" about her love for Westley. In the book he really hit her. Just as well to do without that, I think. But at the same time, in the book, you really get a feeling that Westley/The Man in Black is mad at Buttercup. And it lingers through the book. This slap is just a symptom of it. But still, it wouldn't do to put it in the movie.

The scenes with the "Lightning Sand/Snow Sand" is different. It's called "snow sand" in the book. And the fight with the ROUSs is different too. But neither is particularly more or less effective than the film portrayal, I think.

Not so with the scene where Westley and Buttercup emerge in that beautiful fall foliage and think they have escaped. Just then Humperdink rides up with Rugen and other guards in tow. Cary Elwes's response as Westley when Humperdink shouts "Surrender!" is priceless. "You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept." I plan to use that someday, if the chance comes up. And the rest of the conversation between Westley and Humperdink is shorter and a bit more direct too, in the movie.

Boy, I'm on a roll here. What else? The Zoo of Death and Westley being tortured. He gets tortured even before being attached to "The Machine." But he tries to fool his captors into thinking he is being broken, when really he just goes into his head and feels little of the pain and fear. Until The Machine enters the picture. You really feel his dread when he is confronted with it. But this missed the movie entirely. I can see why, again, but still. The book made Westley into so much more of a bad a**.

I already spoke of the Zoo of Death, didn't I? Well the part where Inigo and Fezzik go through the trap entrance and have to fight their way to the bottom to find Westley's corpse should have been in the movie. This is a classic piece of treasure house/tomb/sanctum-raiding in prose. I was on the edge of my seat while I read it to my daughter, wondering what would happen next. And I knew how it would end. But just the same, it worked so well. Suspense abounded in that passage.



Two more quick ones, and we'll call it good, yes? I already mentioned the pill that Miracle Max makes having a limited effect when I was relating the book portion of this Dual Review. But it is significant because the author keeps doing a countdown as the closing act of the story goes on. If you saw the movie first, it spoils this part for you, as you know how it comes out. And I don't know how the film could have done this part and done it well. But in the book, the minutes ticking off before Westley is supposed to drop dead again give the climax even more oomph.

Last, the very end. Yellin, who I mentioned in the book section, comes into the story more so than he is shown in the movie. You all know Yellin, yes? No? Yellin was the guy with the red muttonchop sideburns. He was the one who said "I have no gate key," to which Mandy Patikin, as Inigo rejoins, "Fezzik, tear his arms off." Without missing a beat, our man Yellin responds, "Oh, you mean this gate key."

Anyway, Yellin comes in to stop them as our heroic party starts riding away, but Buttercup saves the day. She tells the soldiers that she is the queen and they need to go and attend to Humperdink and the rest. But then the very end... well, it isn't as picture-perfect as the film shows. But it has hope. And that is worth it to me. After all, I found myself saying, as the movie credits rolled: "But wasn't Inigo stabbed in the stomach?" And isn't somebody going to care about this mess they leave in their wake? And what about Westley? He's been mostly dead all day, after all." These are the sort of things that the book broaches with its concluding moments. But you can read it for yourself and find out.

Or stick with the movie. It does the story justice, and in the end, that's the best a person can hope for.

In conclusion, I'd recommend you watch the movie. The Princess Bride is a good translation of a classic book, and the one-liners in it alone are worth the price of admission, if nothing else. Just look at how many I've dropped in this admittedly bloated Dual Review. The whole thing is a pleasant experience. I still object to a word or two here (Fred Savage's Deity-profaning exclamation halfway through always bugs me, but I'm the sort who would rather hear a dozen "F-bombs" than one "Name-of the Lord-in-Vain" used), but this is one movie I'd recommend to just about anyone, all other things notwithstanding. As I'm fond of saying, "good stuff."

The parting comment:

Source: Uproxx.com

Keeping with the The Princess Bride theme, this one was amusing.  Something you want to tell us, guys?

P.S.: I fully appreciate the irony of posting a "Tale of True Love and High Adventure" on my wedding anniversary.  Or as fully as any man can appreciate irony who has been married as many years and yet as few years, that is.  Anyway, I take this moment to publicly wish a happy anniversary to my wife and I.  So far its been full of "Fencing (verbally). Fighting (sadly, but yes). Torture (occasionally). Revenge (just a touch). Giants (not that I recall). Monsters (but she's a cute kid just the same). Chases (since you hate being ticked-). Escapes (-and manage to get away at least half the time). True love (lots). Miracles (ditto - grin).